Long Ball Hurts Myers

Brett Myers didn't pitch like an opening day starter last night in Florida.

It had looked like Brett Myers had moved past his early season struggles.

In his previous two starts, he had a 2.35 ERA (four earned runs in 15 1/3 innings). He had allowed seven hits, nine walks and struck out 19. Opponents had hit just .135 against him. And in his previous four starts, he had a 3.62 ERA (11 earned runs in 27 1/3 innings). It looked like he had turned a corner and had started to be the pitcher the Phillies expected him to be. But in a 5-4 loss last night to the Marlins at Dolphin Stadium, Myers allowed five runs and three home runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Myers is 3-8 with a 5.34 ERA.

"I pretty much stunk," Myers said. "I didn't go out there and shut them down like I was supposed to do."

Every pitcher is allowed a bad start or two, so we'll have to see how Myers responds Sunday in St. Louis. If he pitches well, you can call last night a bad start mixed in with a bunch of better ones. If he struggles, it is fair to ask which Myers it the real Myers: the one with the 3.64 ERA in a four-start stretch or the one with a 5.91 ERA after his first nine starts.